Crocodilian Species

There are 24 species of crocodilian currently recognised, with the West African Crocodile C. suchus being the most recent addition (Hekkala et al. 2011; Shirley et al. 2013). However, evidence suggests that two species from West Africa warrant being split into 5 species: Osteolaemus tetraspis to O. tetraspis, O. osborni and O. sp. nov.); and, Mecistops cataphractus to Mecistops sp.(Central Africa) and Mecistops sp.(West Africa); Eaton 2010; Shirley et al. 2013]. Although Crocodylus cataphractus is now generally acknowledged as Mecistops cataphractus, the latter name is not formally accepted by the IUCN and CITES.